Summary

We have all seen them represented in song, movies, and television, but do we really know what the Green Berets do? This book will debunk some longstanding myths about the famous elite division and will give readers a realistic idea about the life of a Special Forces soldier. Information about the history of the division, initiation and training, equipment, and various missions the Green Berets have been involved in will be of interest to anyone enamored of the military.

Booklist Review

Reviewed with Bill Scheppler's British Royal Marines. Gr, 5-7. Books in the new Inside Special Operations series are timely to be sure, but the volumes are uneven. British Royal Marines is the less successful of the two. Though it will be popular with browsers, a chapter on weaponry and landing craft (full of annoying abbreviations), which author Scheppler admits is far from complete, might have been shortened to devote more time to the commando training process and the complicated history of the service, which stretches back 300 years. In Green Berets, Goldberg forgoes most of the weapons hoopla in favor of a more extensive section on training, and contributes a much clearer idea of the specialties within the force. Both books briefly address the idea that commandos are "leaders first and warriors second," though Scheppler's weaponry chapter seems to belie the argument. The photos are excellent in both books--crystal clear and full color, with no overt violence. A glossary, different in each book, is appended, as are a few organizations to contact. --Ray Olson Copyright 2003 Booklist